stars
by JoKuL FrOsTi
Summary: may change title later. this takes place after movie, with my version of maria. will robin and her relationship change when tuff times come around? why does it feel like there's something lurking around the corner waiting to snatch up the moon princess? what's waiting in the shadows for them? in the end, only one will make it through the journey. who will it be? PLEASE R


**Um, so hey guys! this is a secret of moonacre fanfic, but just so you know...she has the same name, (maria), but she is not the same girl. I repeat, not the same girl. I love that pairing... but I just... it doesn't feel right for my story. sorry. so, she's my character that basically takes the role of the original Maria. imagine she's the one who did al that stuff in he movie.**

**fun facts about her: **

**she's older than in movie. she's like...15? going on sixteen.**

**she has black curly hair, like raven feathers.**

**and she has really vibrant green eyes, like emeralds. **

**that's it for now, Enjoy.**

**...**

Maria Merry weather, you should _never, ever_ have told me about the secret passage from Loveday's cave to your bed room. **_EVER_**.

Sir Benjamin. It was always very awkward around him. He didn't seem too fond of me, nor too keen on Maria and I's friendship. I mean, I can see why. 1) I am a De Noir, and although the families had made up, old habits die-hard. 2) I have an unfortunate and slightly undeserved reputation, 3) I am 20 years old, his niece, is fifteen. 4) Thanks to me, his niece is either gone all day, or comes home with twigs in her hair.

So yeah, I can understand where he gets the whole "do not like" thing for me. When I would hang around the merryweather manor, waiting for Maria's lessons to end, or if I was invited in, I would try to avoid him. of course, there are times when that's just not possible. On another note, Loveday never spoke to anyone about the passage. Sir Benjamin had no knowledge of it. Neither did I, until Maria told me, that is. she should _not_ have done that.

_*Flash Back*_

"I mean, the dresses were pretty and everything, but I no idea how they were getting in my room, seeing as I lock the door. I didn't know who it was that was giving them to me until I met your sister, Loveday. They were her dresses. But then I wondered how she was getting into the manor undetected." Maria chatted. We were walking through the forest, just sort of rambling by without a destination. "mm? and how's that?" I asked. I held onto her hand, helping her off a log we had climbed. " Oh, the passage way." I stopped. "What?" "there's a secret passage way from my bed room to Loveday's old cave. The fire places." she explained. "that's how she was getting in undetected?" I asked non challantly. but inside, my stomach tied in knots. there was a way into her room? and without being caught? oh no... I could already tell this was going to cause trouble for me. the next words out of her mouth did not help at all. "You should visit sometime." oh god. not good. not good. not good. not good. not good at all.

that night I snuck out to lovedays cave. in a few minutes, I was in her room. I had never actually been allowed in here. I looked around in awe. then my eyes fell across her sleeping figure. I grinned. I had an idea. I scooped hr up in my arms, careful not to wake her. I carried her out to the forest till I found blueberry pond. at this time f the year, it was nothing more than a puddle. I slipped my arms out from under her. "Robin!" she screeched. she was soaking wet.

its become a custom of mine to visit her for a little while during the night. sometimes though, I would just sneak in, and not wake her to talk. I would just sit in the chair across from her and watch her sleep peacefully.

end flash back

"Eh, robin! where you off to so late?" called pascal, one of my friends. "Oh, nowhere in particular." I lied. "Oh, I'm sure that's right. you've been sneaking out lately. didn't think we'd notice, didya?" "Pascal,I'm on an errand right now, so bugger off!" I said. he left. I sped through the forest, somewhere between speed walk and a jog. the sun had set an hour ago. Maria would be asleep by now. she would stay up on nights I promised to come. but this was a surprise.

the little secret door opened and I slid through. I always was amazed by Maria's room. especially the ceiling. I smiled when I happened to spot that she still wore that silly little bracelet. one I had made for her out of braided bark and grass, with little pressed flowers in it. she was sleeping so peacefully, I almost felt guilty for waking her. "Maria, Maria, luv, wake up." I said. she opened her eyes after a minute. "Robin?" she yawned. "Hullo sleeping-, nah, I can't say beauty. maybe troll..." I joked. she smiled sleepily, smacking me upside the head. I pretended it hadn't hurt.

"Come on, get up." "what for?" "I've got a surprise for you.." I hinted. she sat up immediately. "What is it?" "well, get up." she got out of bed. I'd never seen he in her nightgown before. I mean, nights when she knew I was coming, she wouldn't change. nights when I came secretly, she was under the covers. I didn't know how to feel about this. a bit awkward? she ran to her dresser, ransacking it. finally, after a few minutes she groaned. "Whatever. I'll just wear my nightgown. I hope you don't mind robin." she said. "N-not at all." I choked. I recovered however. "SO, you coming or what?" I asked, opening the secret door. "of course I'm coming." she retorted, stepping through.

once we were in the darkness of the passage way, without even really realizing it, I reached for her hand. "Scared of the dark, bird boy?" she remarked. "No, you princess? I just don't want you to trip and bump your pretty little head." I said sarcastically. somehow, she manage to smack me upside the head in pitch black darkness. don't ask me how she did that. her princess powers? I took the lead, tightening my grip on her hand.

...

"here we are, princess." I said. she looked around expectantly. "robin... there's nothing here." she said. "Well you ain't looking hard enough." I said. I had gotten behind her. with that sentence, I laced my hands flat on the thin fabric of her nightgown and... pushed. down she fell, screaming. I rolled my eyes and jumped down after her. I slid down to the bottom and stylishly landed, unlike Maria. she lay all tangled up and confused, and covered in dirt. "need a hand there princess?" I asked, reaching out. she glared at me and picked herself up, dusting off her dress. "not. funny. robin de noir." she scolded. I grinned. why did you do that? where are we?" she asked. "shut up." "excuse me?! robin - " "no, I mean be quiet. or else they won't come out." I said. this caught her interest. "they...?" "sh." I crouched don. we were in a rather large room, underground. there was a pool of water at one end, half the size of the room. she copied me, and knelt by the water. we waited in silence for a few minutes. " robin, what are-" "shush". she stuck her tongue out at me. I paid no mind. I just stared at the far wall, across from the water. soon, one by one, they began to appear. one by one, little lights on the ceiling and wall. "are these glow warms?" she asked, whispering now. "No." "What are they?" "you wouldn't believe me." I said, just to bug her. "try me." "they're... flowers." '' what?" she asked, surprised. "Yup." but how are they surviving down here?" "oh, they get their fair share of sunlight in here." "how are they on the ceiling? and how are they glowing?" " roots. we're underground princess. they're sprouting on the roots. they're phosphorous. and, in the daylight, they look like regular flowers. I've been studying them for several months now. "but they're so much more than flowers. they respond to noise, and light, and other things." "that's why you had me be quiet." she finished. I nodded. "They're beautiful." she sighed. I turned my gaze away from the flowers, to look at something much more prettier than them. in their glow, she was angelic. her hand was on top of mine as we knelt at the water's edge, each taking in our definition of beauty.

smiling, I stood up, and, reaching, plucked one nearby. I crouched back down and placed it in her hair. she smiled at me, daintily fingering the flower. I got up, and took out a match box. striking one, I lit a candle, which I used to light others. soon, the whole room was illuminated. she stood up, looking around. "Robin, what is this?" she asked. The large room had been furnished. and the light revealed other rooms, their doorways once hidden in the dark. this room contained a large blanket of furs, a fireplace, a table with chairs, and two sitting chairs, with a small table between them. a living room of of the furniture I had made from the trees. there was also a bookshelf, a large one, that I had taken from my own room. "It's amazing." she said. I handed her a candle. "Go check out the other rooms." I said. she walked on.

maria's POV

the flowers were simply stunning, but when he showed me the rest of the room, and how well the furniture was crafted, I was truly stunned. I walked through one of the doorways, as he has instructed. it lit up with the candle's light. then i saw it. it was a bed room. it had a vanity, a wardrobe, a trunk, a desk, a nightstand, a changing screen, and of course a bed. a very big bed. a thought popped into my mind that excited me and ashamed me at th same time. "What is this place?" I asked timidly, recovering from that horrible thought. "this place? well, I found a hollow in the roots, similar to her place. and... I got inspired. its taken me awhile, and its not fully complete, but it'll do for now." "but...what is it?" " our place." shivers shot up and down my spine at those words. "o-ours...? p-place...? for what?" I asked, nearly hyperventilating. I tried to hide it. "to come to. where no one can find us." "why?" "when we need to be alone. or to just hang out. calm down little princess, don't hyperventilate. yes, I can see your reaction. you know, sometimes your mind is worse than my friends'." he joked. I blushed even more. god, this is embarrassing! he chuckled. "This'll be your room, should you ever need to spend the night." he said. "and don't worry princess, its got a lockable door." I had calmed down enough. "Where's your room?" I asked. "I'd sleep out here. at least until I make another room. the other one is a kitchen, I understand Marmaduke's been teaching you to cook. also, I took the liberty of dragging a tub from my home down here to your room, its in the little separate cubby room thing. behind the screen." "You did all this?" I asked. it truly was amazing. "Yup. I thought we needed a place that no one could get to us at. a sanctuary?also, I made a passage from here, to your room, and to mine." he said. he moved aside as I left the room. I smiled at him. "You're amazing, you know that?" "Really?" he said, grinning. I smacked him upside the head. "don't let your head get too swollen." I warned. "I thought it was already like that." he said, quoting me. I rolled my eyes. "It's gone down a bit." as I finished this sentence, I snatched his beloved bowler hat and ran off. I scrambled up the makeshift steps and pushed open the camouflaged door. I was out in the forest again. I took off running.

"you give that back you little witch!" he called, running after me. he was always faster than me, but it helped I had a head start. I laughed, and ran on. it was nighttime, but there was a little light from the moon through the branches. I ran and ran and ran. finally, I stopped for breathe. I looked around. he was nowhere to be seen. did I actually lose him? I doubted it. I looked around. I spotted a climbable tree, and had an idea. payback time, bird boy, payback.

Robin

I ran in the direction she had disappeared to. I paused for air. I had no idea where she was at. I was getting worried. she still wasn't that used t the forest and it was dark. I cupped my hands to my mouth. "Princess! Fine! I give up! you win! princess, where are you little princess!?" no response. I was about to call out again when- "oof!" something jumped me from above. I landed on the ground with a thud. I opened my eyes and there was only darkness. I began to panic. whatever it was held me down. then it began to- to tickle me. I screamed, and begged for mercy. "n-noo... p-plea-ssse... s-s-sttoo -p-p." I begged. suddenly, I could see. and I felt pretty stupid. it was my hat. she had covered my face with my hat. " worried robin?" she asked,helping me up. "no. I knew you where there the whole time." "mh-hm, Im sure..." she rolled her eyes. that's when I realized...she wasn't wearing a dress. "O god! Maria!" I said, turning away immediately. "What?" she asked. "put-put something on!" I said. "well its not like i'm nude! i'm just in my under clothes. a slip and a tank! god!" she scolded. then her voice got soft, I could almost feel her smile. "why such a reaction robin...? where you embarrassed...?" she teased. "No!" I retorted. and lied. I wasn't embarrassed because she was in her underwear, I was embarrassed because I knew if I continued to look at her, I knew my eyes would stray. and if she caught me... oh god, there would be hell.

she decided to make it hard for me. she refused to put her nightgown back on, and walked beside me in her underwear. god, I hated her sometimes. it was very hard to resist looking even in her general direction. very hard. when we got back to the little place I had made, she went in first, basically forcing me to look. god...

...

"you know, its not like you haven't seen me in my undergarments before. remember when you kidnapped me and took me to your castle? I had to go in undergarments to escape." "I? Kidnap? you? oh, how precious! if I recall, you were the one who waltzed ever so willingly into _my_ home, little _prin-cess_." I said, over-pronouncing the princess part " I guess you just missed me too much. you simply couldn't stay away." I taunted. she stuck her tongue out at me. again. "And besides, this is different." I muttered. she heard. "oh? how so?" she asked, "it-it just is. now will you put that bloody night-gown back on?!" I yelled. It was getting harder to not look at her. she pouted, then complied.

it amazed me. this girl, who'd been a well brought up lady, a perfect little princess, not even a full year ago, who was terrified of the country side, now stood in an underground, dirt room, covered in dirt herself, a mess, in her underclothes, alone, in the middle of the night, in front of...techniquely, a grown man. and she was happy that way. was I really that bad of an influence on her? I mean, I ain't complaining, but still...

I sighed with relief when she was once again covered up. there was also a hint of disappointment. just a hint. at last now that she was covered I wouldn't stray. "better. much better." I said. she stuck he tongue out again. seriously? I rolled my eyes. she could be so childish sometimes. "do you remember the day when _I_ trapped _you_? you were crying like a baby!" she teased. I hd to laugh at that. "but if remember correctly, you did so to get me to _help_ you." I retorted "that's also the day you decided to take a little swim, is it not?" I said, the humor gone from my voice. "I still hink I had you worried." she smirked.


End file.
